Her Majesty’s Secret Service

012. Misunderstanding

Bishop Steve, having paid homage to the queen and returned, was clutching his throbbing head in his room.

Despite his repeated pleas, the queen was dismissing his entreaties to execute Jane Grey. Today, she even suppressed his request with the authority of the king.

‘Her Majesty has not forgotten the past. What to do…’

The Grey family was the only one that had supported the queen when she was abandoned by King Henry. And Jane Grey’s situation was similar to the queen’s. That is, being abandoned by her parents, especially her father.

Jane’s father, Henry Grey, had not attempted to save her after escaping London that day.

‘What would the queen think… She must die. Only by killing Jane Grey can there be a pretext to kill Elizabeth. To prevent the hidden heretics from defiling the kingdom again, those two must be dealt with while the queen lives…’

If the queen’s cousin and pretender Jane was not killed, it would be impossible to kill Elizabeth.

Despite sparing the pretender cousin, it was not good at all that rumors were circulating among the nobles that she had killed her innocent sister.

The bishop, pondering how to change the queen’s mind, felt hunger. He realized he hadn’t eaten anything since morning.

“Is there no one outside?”

He called out loudly for a servant.

Soon, one of the servants opened the door and asked the bishop.

“Did you call for me?”

“I’m about to have a meal, but hasn’t Logan returned from the palace yet? He should have been back by now.”

“He has not returned yet. If you’re feeling hungry… Shall I call Jamie?”

Ever since Bishop Eli brought Logan from Thomas, Logan has been in charge of breakfast and lunch.

Initially, Logan was brought in for a different purpose, but the creaminess of the stew he made captivated the bishop’s palate.

“Ah, today I fancy Logan’s cooking over Jamie’s. When Logan returns, could you ask him to make cream stew?”

“Certainly. You mean cream stew, right?”

It wasn’t long after the servant known as Jack bowed and left Bishop Steve’s office that he reappeared, opening the door again.

“What’s this, you’re already prepared? Logan must have returned, I presume?”

Bishop Steve thought Jack had brought the cream stew he had hinted at, but Jack had not come to announce that the meal was ready.

“Logan has not returned yet. Earl Russell has come to visit; what should we do?”

“Earl Russell?”

It was unexpected that Earl Russell, the Keeper of the Privy Seal, had come looking for him. Did he have a reason to seek him out?

‘Now that I think about it, the earl mentioned last week that there was a discussion about the royal marriage at the Privy Council…’

Since the queen’s accession, the Privy Council had been discussing the queen’s marriage prospects, but the discussions had been postponed due to the traitors’ issue and the coronation matters.

It was only last week that the disposition of the traitors was finally settled. Since then, the council members had begun searching for the queen’s marriage partner.

“Where is the earl?”

“He is in the reception room. Shall I bring him here?”

“No, that’s alright. Instead… could you tell the kitchen to prepare some refreshments? Bring them to the reception room.”

“Understood.”

A few steps later, he arrived at the door of the reception room. There was a stir inside. It was probably Earl Russell.

Bishop Steve opened the door and entered. Upon opening the door to the reception room, he saw Earl Russell, unable to sit still, pacing the room in agitation.

“Earl, what brings you here so…”

—

As I was about to address Count Russell’s unusually anxious demeanor, his bellowing voice swallowed up Bishop Steve’s words.

“Steve! What in the world are you scheming!”

Despite his age, it was a wonder where such a voice could come from.

Taken aback by Count Russell’s angry voice, the bishop couldn’t fathom why he was so enraged. Bishop Steve, flustered, responded to the count’s shouting.

“What brings you here so suddenly?”

“I speak of that foreign chef you’ve brought in. Do you still feign ignorance?”

Count Russell retorted, as if interrogating with his words.

Bishop Steve still couldn’t grasp what Count Russell was trying to say.

“Logan? What has he done? If his presence in the royal kitchen displeases you, worry not. I had no intention of keeping him long.”

Employing Logan wasn’t just to insult Bishop Thomas. It was a warning through the bishop that the queen could seize their possessions at any time.

“It’s not about whether I like him or not! Damn it, you know nothing!”

Count Russell’s voice, claiming ignorance, left Bishop Steve with a puzzled look.

“Me? What do I know nothing about? Has that foreigner made a mistake before Her Majesty?”

Count Russell found some relief in Bishop Steve’s seemingly oblivious attitude.

Until now, he had suspected that Bishop Steve, blinded by power, had attached a foreign government to the queen.

Seeing Bishop Steve’s reaction, it seemed he too was unaware of the matter.

“A mistake? Yes, if you can call it a mistake. It seems Her Majesty has made one, though.”

“What are you saying? What mistake has Her Majesty made…?”

“Do you remember His Highness Henry? I’m speaking of his affairs with women.”

“From Logan to suddenly His Highness… Wait, what are you trying to say?”

—

Upon hearing the words of Earl Russell, a displeased sentiment surfaced on Bishop Steve’s face. Why bring up the story of Henry VIII here? Was he insinuating that the Queen had consorted with a foreigner?

“During my audience with Her Majesty earlier, she said this to me: ‘I have a prior engagement, come back another time.’ Do you understand? I was dismissed because of that foreign chef! It seems the blood of one’s father does not stray far…”

“Earl! What are you implying?”

Bishop Steve thought Earl Russell had lost his mind. No, he was certain of it.

Earl Russell’s rant continued.

“What do you mean, what am I saying! Have I spoken falsely? If this gets out, we’re all finished. Damn it all, at least Henry had noble adversaries, but now… a foreign chef?! Steve, what were you thinking bringing that man here!”

Earl Russell’s face turned beet red as he shouted, yet a weary voice leaked from between his lips.

“If… should the Queen happen to fall pregnant…”

“Enough!! That’s as far as you go, Earl!”

Bishop Steve’s face was about to burst with redness. Listening to the Earl’s mad talk, something seemed to boil within him.

“Evidence, do you have any evidence? Proof that Her Majesty has shared affection with a mere chef!”

Bishop Steve glared at Earl Russell with bulging eyes. The Earl, unfazed by the glare, shouted back.

“Evidence? My experience is the evidence. Think about it logically. She prioritized a meeting with a mere chef over an audience with me, the royal seal bearer and a member of the privy council!”

It was a situation worthy of suspicion. However, that alone was not convincing enough to assert an improper relationship between the Queen and the chef.

“Are you spouting such a tragic accusation based solely on suspicion, without any other evidence? Earl! Have you lost your mind?!”

“Evidence? If there’s evidence, Anne Basset would have it.”

Anne Basset was the Queen’s closest maid. Her position was that of the Mistress of the Robes, akin to a housekeeper, responsible for the Queen’s clothing, ornaments, and daily schedule.

“She has been the Queen’s person for a long time. Earl, do you still not trust her?”

A silence hung between the two men, their shouting match at a pause. Earl Russell, with a flushed face, gazed intently at the Bishop and broke the silence with a soft voice.

“You have… grown old, far too old. To become so naive.”

“You have aged, indeed, grown more doubtful.”

“Me, doubtful? Do you not remember how she once schemed to become His Majesty Henry’s fourth wife? She is a woman who would do anything for power.”

Anne Basset had once attempted to seduce King Henry VIII after the death of his third wife, Jane Seymour.

It was unclear who had seduced whom, but the way she had presented herself then, willing to do anything for power, was vividly etched in the Earl of Russell’s mind.

“So you think so? That she would betray Her Majesty the Queen?”

“No, not betray. But she would use that evidence to grasp the Queen in her hands! Have we not seen the precedent set by the Duke of Somerset?”

“You are overly paranoid.”

The Earl of Russell seemed to believe that Anne Basset would use the Queen’s vulnerabilities as a weapon to seize power.

On the surface, Bishop Steve professed his trust in Anne, but his mind was in turmoil.

‘To think the Earl was dismissed because Logan had arrived… Could the Queen really be with Logan? No, that cannot be. She would not. But if it were true…?’

Bishop Steve, feeling a headache, tried not to entertain any more blasphemous thoughts.

“Paranoid… perhaps, but certainty would be better, wouldn’t it, Earl, for your peace of mind?”

The Bishop spoke, reassuring himself that it was not the Queen he doubted, but to alleviate the Earl’s suspicions.

“Does the Earl know of any trustworthy maids?”

“Are you suggesting we inquire about the rumors among the maids? Better to ask that foreigner directly. He is staying at your estate, is he not? Seize him at once…”

“Logan has not yet returned from the palace… He usually returns to the estate before lunch, but today he is unusually late.”

Bishop Steve’s voice trembled slightly. Although nothing was certain yet, the fear that the Earl of Russell’s words might be true was creeping up on him.

At first, he did not believe it, but as a small doubt began, it grew larger and larger.

“…A bad premonition always comes true.”

At the Earl of Russell’s words, Bishop Steve felt a headache coming on.

“Please, don’t speak of such things.”

“Why, have I said something I shouldn’t have?”

Bishop Steve, dismissing the Earl of Russell’s brusque words with a wave of his hand, called a servant from outside.

“Fetch Logan here immediately when he arrives. Tell him… I have something to confirm.”

“Understood, Your Grace.”

Though he yearned to lock the suspect in the dungeon and perhaps even torture him, the man presumed to be ‘the Queen’s consort’ could not be subjected to such without cause, for even he could not handle the repercussions.

No, of course, Logan was not the Queen’s consort. He simply could not be.

Bishop Steve shook his head, trying to rid himself of the intrusive thoughts.

As time passed, a commotion arose outside.

A sharp, somehow familiar female voice tickled their ears.

“Let’s go outside.”

The noise outside grew louder, prompting Bishop Steve to rise and grasp the doorknob.

Count Russell, who had been sitting quietly, followed the bishop upon seeing him stand.

*The Seal Bearer is an official responsible for the king’s seal. It’s a position without real power but still high-ranking. It exists in modern Britain and is fifth in the order of precedence.

*Jane Grey and Elizabeth were heirs to the Tudor throne. There were other claimants, but these two were the nearest.

The two heirs, excluding Mary, were Protestants, not Catholics. Mary, a Catholic queen, had ascended to the throne after the reigns of Henry VIII and Edward VI.

Naturally, Mary’s confidants were Catholics who wished for the deaths of Elizabeth and Jane. They knew that once the old Mary passed, the young Elizabeth or Jane would take the throne, potentially leading to a Protestant resurgence.